Hidden Hills Seeks to Annex Road, Solve Traffic 'Disaster'

Hoping to eliminate a traffic "disaster" at their back door, Hidden Hills city officials have moved to annex the road to the rear entrance of their gate-guarded community at the western edge of the San Fernando Valley.

City officials have offered to redesign and repave a quarter-mile section of Round Meadow Road in Calabasas if the Las Virgenes Unified School District will sign over rights to the street.

The school district owns the short section of roadway, which passes between Round Meadow Elementary School and the school's parking lot and links a nearby public street with Hidden Hills' second gate house.

Board of Education members tentatively approved the two-acre annexation Tuesday night after learning that the city was willing to spend about $30,000 of its gas tax funds to revamp the roadway.

"It's a disaster there in the mornings when parents are dropping their children off at the school and our residents are leaving the city," Hidden Hills Mayor Alana Knaster said. "The city has concerns about the traffic there."

Las Virgenes school Supt. Albert D. Marley said the school board will take a final vote on the annexation proposal Nov. 25. He described the proposed city takeover as a "unique" opportunity for the school system.

"We can't afford to maintain our own buildings, much less roads," Marley said.